Beneath The Surface

Epilogue

--- Raven's POV ---

As I sit on the porch, the sun dipping low in the sky, I watch Bella and little Anthony chase each other around the garden. Their laughter is the sweetest sound, filling the air with a sense of peace I never thought I’d know. Bella’s curls bounce with every step, and I can’t help but smile, remembering why I chose her name. Bella, beautiful, just like the life I finally have. It’s a name that once symbolized my imprisonment, but now, it’s a symbol of the freedom I fought so hard to claim.

She’s four now, full of curiosity and joy, with Marco’s determined eyes and my stubborn streak. And then there’s Anthony, our little boy named after his father Ace, though we all call him Tony. He’s only two, but already he’s showing signs of being just as fiercely protective as his father. I see both Marco and Ace in him, Marco’s quiet strength and Ace’s playful mischief. He’s a perfect blend of the two men I love, and I couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful family.

I place a hand on my growing belly, feeling the flutter of our third child, a constant reminder of the love that continues to grow between us. Another baby, another piece of our puzzle, fitting perfectly into the life we’ve built together. I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl yet, but it doesn’t matter. This child will be loved just as much as Bella and Tony, and I can’t wait to meet them.

It wasn’t easy getting here. After Bella was born, Marco and Ace insisted that we get married. They wanted to make it official, to show the world that I belonged to them, and they to me. Our wedding was unlike anything I’d ever imagined, lavish, grand, a true mafia affair. I became the first woman to marry two brothers within the family, and they were the first to share a wife. It was unheard of, and yet it felt so right, so natural. Standing between them, my heart swelled with love and pride, knowing that we were defying all expectations, creating something new and beautiful out of the chaos that had once surrounded us.

Life in the mafia isn’t easy, but I’ve come to accept it. Marco is the Don, strong and unyielding, leading with a firm hand and a heart that beats only for his family. Ace is his right-hand man, always there, always ready to protect what’s his. And me? I’m the woman who stands beside them, who loves them with everything I have. The woman who finally found peace in a world that once tried to break her.

Bella and Tony don’t know the full story yet. They don’t understand the world they were born into, but they will, someday. And when they do, I’ll be ready to explain, to show them that love can grow even in the darkest places. That family is everything, and that together, we can face anything.

I hear the front door open, and Marco steps out, his eyes softening as he watches the kids. Ace is right behind him, a grin on his face as he takes in the scene. They come to sit beside me, each placing a hand on my belly, feeling our child move.

“We did good, didn’t we?” Ace murmurs, his voice filled with pride.

Marco nods, his thumb rubbing gently over my hand. “Yeah, we did.”

I lean into them, my heart full. We’ve come so far from where we started, and I wouldn’t change a single thing. I’m happy. I’m home. And I know that no matter what the future holds, we’ll face it together, as a family.

Because beneath the surface of our lives, beneath the secrets and the scars, there’s a love that’s stronger than anything I could have ever dreamed. And that’s all I ever needed.